South Yorkshire to keep own police helicopter service

SOUTH Yorkshire is set to keep its own police helicopter service after members of the county’s police authority defeated proposals to join a new National Air Service.

Under the money-saving plans South Yorkshire would have been served by helicopters based in West Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Humberside, all operated by the national service rather than individual forces.

Police authority members voted down the proposals by a large majority amid concerns over the cost of the National Air Service, and the quality of cover for South Yorkshire.